Trap.



J. A. JoHNsoN, JB.

TRAP. l APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1911.

1,008,967. Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

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JOHN A. JOHNSON, JR., 0F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

TRAP;

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1911.

Application filed July 14, 1911. Serial No. 638,511.

To all whom 'it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, JOHN A. JOHNSON, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in traps designed to be set into the floor or earth for the purpose of catching thieves or animals.

The particular object of my invent-ion is to design a trap which can be set into the floor of buildings beneath the window or door openings therein so that it will be tripped when any one entering steps upon a depressible plate, and when tripped the jaws of the trap will grip the foot of the intruder and be locked in a gripping position so that it is impossible to release them without opening the trap.

With these objects in view, my invention comprises the details of construction and arrangements of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the trap in vertical sectional elevation placed in the flooring in front of a door. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the trap. Fig. 3 is a detail View illustrating the lock bar for the jaws. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view along the line a-b of Fig. 2, showing the catch to hold the jaws open.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, I utilize a metal box 1 which is provided with an open top and adapted to receive a depressible plate 2 which is supported at its four corners on coil springs 3 suitably fastened top and bottom to the box and plate. This plate 2 carries at each side a pin or stop 4 having its top slanting upward away from the center of the plate, the stop being preferably screwed into a threaded opening in the plate. The trap is provided with a pair of curved locking jaws 5, the inner edges of which are sharpened as shown in Fig. 4 and which are pivotally connected by a bolt 6 attached by a nut to a strong and rigid U-shaped frame 7 which is bolted or riveted to the bottom of the box 1. The rear ends of the jaws 5 are bent downwardly at 8 and have connected to them the ends of a coil spring 10, which tends to draw the rear ends together and cause the gripping jaws to swing together. These jaws are each providedwith openingsll in which the stops 4 are `adapted to engage, as seen in Fig. 4, the stops being held up against the jaws 5 by the springs 3. The box is preferably provided with an integral top flange or guard 12 which extends across the outer ends of the aws and along the sides of the box back to a door 13 connected to the casing by v jaw 5. The underside of the lock bar is provided with a series of teeth 20 which are adapted to slide over and engage the guide 15 when the rear ends of the jaws are drawn together by the spring 10. As will be noted in Fig. 1, the plate 13 is provided with an offset shoulder 21 which stands on a level with the anges 12 and provides with said flanges a suitable support to receive a top cover (not shown), which will protect the trap when not in use.

The whole apparatus is shown seated in the ooring 22 immediatelyy in front of the door 23. The casing may be fastened to the floor in any suitable manner, bolts 24 being used for this purpose, if so desired.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The person opening the door will step into the room usually at least a few inches from the door sill, the trap is so arranged that the foot will strike and depress the plate 2 betweenthe open jaws 5, thereby lowering the stops 4 out of engagement with the openings 11 in the jaws 5 and releasing the latter so that the spring 10 will draw them instantly into locking engagement about the ankle or foot of the intruder. The jaws are made sharp and the spring 10 is made sufliciently strong to urge the jaws with great power against the foot. At the same time the lock bar 9 is moved until one of its teeth engage the guide 15 and locks the jaws in position about the foot of the intruder and holds the jaws rigidly moved to releasethe jaws.- IThe jaws are sharpened so that the person caught cannot work at them and they are braced a't their outer ends by the integral ange 12.V

The jaws when subjected to an upward pull or strain are thus supported from'the U- shaped bar 7 and from the flange 12, thereby insuring them against being broken or twisted. It will be noted that the outer edges of the jaws 5 are rounded and the inner top surfaces of the stops 4 are inclined. This permits the jawsto slide readily over the stops when sprung into open position.

The whole apparatus is simple, easily constructed, and comparatively inexpensive, and at the same time is entirely eective for the purposes contemplated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a trap, the combination of a depressible plate, a pair of locking jaws disposed above and held in open position by said plate, yielding means to support said plate, spring means tending to swing said jaws horizontally to a closed position when released from the'plate, lock means which automatically engage and lock the jaws in their closed position, and a locking cover .plate to protect the spring and lock means :t'or the jaws, substantially as described.

2. In a trap, a horizontal plate supported by springs in an elevated position, a pair of horizontally swinging locking jaws hinged at an intermediate point and disposed with their gripping ends above said spring supported plate, catches on said plate adapted to engage portions of said jaws and hold them in open position, spring means engaging the rear ends of the jaws tending to close them, and positive lock means carried by the rear end of the jaws which will hold Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, byvaddressing the Commissioner of Patents.

the jaws locked in closed position when the trap is sprung.

3. In a trap, the combination of a casing having an open top at one end, a depressible plate under said opening, yielding means to support said plate, a door at the other end of the casing, a pair of jaws disposed in the casing above said plate, a pivot support for said jaws disposed under said door, a guard 'plate disposed above the outer ends of the jaws, means carried by said depressibleplate to hold the jaws in open position, and means, protected by said door, to force the jaws together when released by the depression of said plate, substantially as described.

4. In a trap of the character described, a casing, a pair of hinged jaws adapted to move in a horizontal plane, a spring supported plate which normally engages and holds said jaws open and which when depressed releases said jaws, spring means to urge the jaws together when said plate is depressed, said jaws having sharpened gripping edges, and said casing having a cover to protect the spring and pivot for the jaws, said plate being left exposed, substantially as described.

5. In a trap of the character described, the combination of a pair of pivoted jaws and spring means tending to urge them together, of a horizontally disposed depressible plate, yielding means to support the plate, stops carried by said plate, and notches in said jaws which are adapted to slide over and engage with said stops to hold the jaws open against the action of said spring means, said stops having inclined tops, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. JOHNSON, JR. Witnesses:

NoMIn WELSH, R. D. J oHNsToN, Jr.

Washington, D. C. 

